Spotlight



- 1,687,821 5. w. ALDEEN SPOTLIGHT Filed April 30, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l G. w; ALDEEN sPomueHT Filed April 30, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I r I g k I Patented Oct. 16, 1928.

i UNITED STATES canon w. ALDEEN, or nooxronn, ILLINOIS, AssIoNoa 'ro, FYRAC mannrac'runri di ATENT arms.

00., or ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A coRPo m'rIou or LINoIs.

sro'rLIo rL.

Application filed April 30, 1926, {Serial No. 105,625,.

The invention hereof relates to adjustable lamps or spot lamps adapted to project beams of light onto any desired spot over a comparatively large field or range and more particularly to that type of lamp well known upon the market as a windshield spot-light which is generally attached to a screen such as the windshield of a motor vehicle orpower boat, although the utility of a lamp of this character is of far wider and greater application.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a lamp of the character aforementioned which, with a suitable type of mounting, may be so attached to a screen, such as a windshield, that the lamp proper will lie on one side of the screen and a handle or other means for manipulation thereof will lie on the other side of the screen with the lamp so constructed and arranged in connection with its support that the light beams may be directed at right angles to the screen or at substantially any angle between a right angular direction and a plane parallel with the screen.

A further object of the invention is to proride a lamp mounting of such character as that noted in the foregoing object from which the lamp may be readily removed and, if provided with a'cable of suilicient length, may be utilized as a trouble light.

Gther objects, including the details of:construction and the arrangement of the parts as well as their operation, will or should become apparent from the following description and'claims and the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of a lamp constructed in accordance with the invention mounted in a windshield and showing in dotted and full lines the manner in which the light is operable to obtain a maXi- V mum range of light projection. Fig. is a side elevation of the lamp shown 1 i I is a sectional view taken substan-v tiall;v along the line 33 of- Fig. 2, and

F a; is a sectional view taken substantially along the line H of Fig. 3;

Referring more particularly to the drawings I'have shown the illustrated embodiment of my invention mounted through-an opening-.2 provided through a fragment of a windshield 3 and arranged thereinfor uni versal movement.

as at '12, to provide an annular clamping flange between which and a clamping ring nut, 13, the ed es of the windshield or other support ad through may be clamped, the rin 13heing provided with threads to engage tie-threads jacent the opening there-' 9 to thereby draw thering and flange 12 tightly against the glass. However, to insure a water tight joint between the windshield andthe clamping members 12 ands13 suitable washers 14 are interposed bet-ween the clamping members and the glass or other support, as may be desired, 5

The spring socket unit 7 includes a knurled casing 15 provided with a threaded sleeve'16 adapted to en age corresponding threads formed interna ly on the socket r ng'8 and may thereby be removablylsecured thereto. The springsocket 7 is also provided with an inwardly projecting circumferentialflange 17 which serves to retain a circular coiled spring 19 which normally urges a frustoconical ring 20 providing a seat 21 for the ball-like member 5 opposed to seat 11', against the ball-like member 5 under suflicient pressure to fricspring socket housing 8. A ring'21, which I shallhereafter term a positioning or an abutment ring, is of inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the balllike member 5 and preferably is'of such thickness that its outside diameter will be substantially the inside diameter of the sleeve portion 16 of thespring socket or spring container unit 7 .while the width of the abutment ring is preferably suflicient vvto position its forward edge 22 in a diametral plane through the ball-like member 5 when its rearjedge 23 is abutting against the inturned seat flange 10 of the socket ring 8. The purpose of the abutment ring 21 will be later described.

The ball-like member 5 is preferably formed of two substantially symmetrical hemispheres 24 and 25, each ofwhich is recessed as at 26 and 27 for the reception of a cylindrical stem 28 upon which the lamp 4 is supported at one side of the windshield or other wall 3 and upon which an operating handle generally designated 29 is supported at the opposite side of-the wall or windshield.

The stem 28 is bifurcated from some point 30 with aligned openings through which one or more hollow and aligned pivot pins are passed and upon these pivot pins the lamp is pivotally supported, as Will more clearly appear.

The lamp itself is preferably composed of inner and outer shells 36 and 37, the inner shell serving both as a reflector and a support and socket for the lamp bulb 38 and the outer shell serving as a protecting casing or cover for the inner shell and as a lamp manipulating element, as will more particularly hereinafter appear. A lens 39 is suitably secured between a clamping ring 40 and the reflector shell 36 in any suitable manner while an annular outwardly projecting head 41 on the clamping ring provides an internal recess within which a spring snap ring 42 is positioned to secure the inner shell 36 in position. The clamping ring40 is provided with bayonet slots or other suitable openings through which screws 43 pass in order to secure it to a flange 44 formed integral with the outer shell of casing 37. Behind the flanged portion 44 the outer shell or casing 37 is provided with connections in the form of projections 45 for pivotal engagement with the pivot pins 35. At least one of the pivot pins 35, as aforesaid, is made hollow for the passage of an electrical conducting wire or wires 46 and threaded externally at one end for the reception of a nut 47 which is secured in position by a lock washer 48, while its opposite end is provided with a head to abut against the outer side of the arms 31 and 32. Suitnection portions of the casing 37, but if this be done, an opening must be. provided through one of them for the passage of electrical conductors 46 whiclnaswill be noted, pass through the stem and the center of the balllike member 5 into the handle 29 where they are connected through a switch mechanism, the operating handle of which is indicated at 51, to a cable 52 leading to a suitable source or" electric current supply. I

Vith the spotlight so described it will be appreciated that the handle 29 may be manipulated to direct the light beam in any direction within the limits of contact of the stem 28 with the housing or universal socket structure, assuming of course, that the lamp proper remains in fixed position with respect to the stem. 'Owing to the fact that abutment of the stem against the socket or universal member housing structure limits direction of the light beam beyond, say a thirty degree angle with respect to the plane of the wall or windshield through which the lamp is mounted, it is impossible without changing the position of the vehicle or wall in which the lamp is mounted to illuminate objects substantially on the line with the wall or Windshield. This is a serious handicap in many instances, but through a unique arrangement which will now be described I have overcome this deficiency of spotlights of this character so that the light beam may be directed substantially along or even behind a line or plane parallel with'the wall or windshield through which the lamp is mounted.

The lamp shell 37 is provided with an arcuate rack 53 (in this instance shown as integral with the shell.) which meshes with a sector gear 54 formed integral with a ring '55 seated in recesses provided in each hemisphere 24 and 25 of the balllike member 5. The rack 53 is aligned with the sector gear 54, which in turn is positioned in the recess formed by the bifurcation of the stem 28. The ring-like portion 55 is provided with ou wardly projecting shoulders 56 for abutting but sliding engagement with the outer edge of the abutment or position ring 21. In this manner the sector gear 54 is held against rotation in either direction about the axial cen- Nil) ter of the ring portion 55, but as it is reably positioned about the screw 57 where the conducting cord 46 passes in order to preventabrasion of the insulating coating of the conductor by the threads of the screw.

In operation, viewing Figs. 1 and the handle 29 is grasped and'may be moved in the plane of the paper in either direction sector gear in this case is held stationary relafrom its full line position shown. Since the tively to the housing and wall and the balllike universal member 5 swings correspondingly with movement of. the stem and the lamp, trunnions or pivots are swung in arcuate paths toward the wall. The rack 53 engaging with the sector gear 54 is moved to swing the lamp on its pivots or trunnions until atthe limit of the movement of the handle the lamp has reached a position, such as that illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, wherc the light beam will be projected in a path substantially parallel to the line of the wall. It will be apparent, oi course, that depending on the lengths of the sector gear and rack the light beams may be projected toward the wall or windshield 8.

The operation, as above described, provides for manipulation of the lamp to the greatest possible range in one projection plane which might in some instances be suflicient, but since there is sliding engagement between the shoulders 56 of the ring and the outer edge of the positioning or abutment ring 21, rotation of the handle 29 about the major axis of the lamp and stem rotates the sector gear sot-hat this plane of greatest light beam sweep or projection may be turned at any angle about the major axis of the stem and lamp and a maximum beam sweep obtained in any plane perpendicular to the plane of the wall, windshield or other screen. 7

It will be apparent, of course, that means other than a gear and rack may be utilized for manipulation of the lamp proper about its pivot and that the axis of the lamp may be disposed at an angle to the axis of the stem other than a straight angle and the sector gear and ring or the sector gear alone disposed other than perpendicular to the plane of the wall, windshield or other screen through the lamp is mounted.

The spotlight is arranged to be secured on the inside against unauthorized removal from without. The interior clamping ring nut or clamping member 13, is provided with a small lug or projection 60, preferably integral therewith, which is drilled and tapped for the reception of a set screw orstud 61 adapted to bear against a horizontal portion of the member13 and press or spring the same tightly into engagement with the threaded portion 9 of the socket ring 8 and frictionally lock it thereto. In order that the horizontal portion of the member 13 may yield sufiiciently for this purpose it may be recessed, or prefer ably cut through, as shown at 62 in Figs. 1,

2 and 1, although other expedients may be resorted to and the portion between the ends of the kert 62 may be thinned in order that it may be depressed slightly by action of the locking set screw.

As such modifications obviously fall within the spirit and scope of my invention and as many other modifications and changes in construction and operation may readily be conceived as within the field ofmy invention, I do not desire to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement utilized sole- 1y for the purpose of illustrating what is atv v1. In a spot-light, a housing adapted to be a mounted in a wall, a support movably mounted in said housing and projecting therefrom in opposite directions beyond said wall, a lamp carried by said support at one side of said wall, a handle rigidly and non-rotatably secured to the other end of said support whereby said-support and lamp may be moved as a unit relatively to the housing, and means operative upon swinging movements of said handle to move said lamp with re spect to said support.

2. In a spotlight, a housing adapted to be secured in relatively fixed position, a lamp support mounted. in said housing for substantially universal movement with respect 1 thereto, a lamp connected to said supportand movable therewith and with respect thereto,

a light manipulating member connected to said suaport for moving said support substantialiy universally, and means operated by predetermined swinging movements of said member for moving said lamp with respectto said support. I

.3; In a spotlight, av housing adapted to be mounted in a wall, a support movably mounted in said housing and projecting therefrom in opposite directions beyond said wall, a lamp carried by saidsupport at one side of said wall, a handle rigidly and rotatably secured to the other end of said support whereby saidsupport and lampmaybe moved as a unit relatively to the housing, and means including gearing operative upon swinging movementsof said handle to move said lamp with respect to said support.

4. In a spotlight, a housing adapted to be secured in relatively fixed position, a lam-p support mounted in said housing forsubstantially universal movement with respect thereto, a lamp connected tosaid support and movable therewith and with respect thereto, a lightmanipulating member connected to lliu llO said support for moving said support substantially universally, and means including a gear operated by predetermined swinging movements of said member for moving said lamp with respect to said support.

5. In a spotlight, a housing having an opening at one side thereof, a member mounted for substantiallyuniversal move.-

ment in said housing,a stem connected to and projecting from said member and through the opening on one side of said housing, aspotlight pivotally connected to said stem, means connected with said memher for rotational movement with said memher about the axis'of said housing and. secured against pivotal movement relative to said spotlight, means connectingsaid lamp and first said means whereby said lamp and first said means may be moved relatively and together, and a single handle non-rotatably secured to said member for moving said member.

6. In a spotlight, a ring housing having openings at opposite sides thereof, a universally movable member mounted within said housing and having stems connected on opposite sides thereof, projecting therefrom and through said openings in the housing, a spotlight secured to one of said stems for swinging movement in one plane relatively thereto, and means connected to said spotlight, housing and member whereby -rotational movement of the other stem about its axis and swinging movement about an axis of said member parallel the axis of said spotlight pivot will correspondingly rotate and swing said spotlight, respectively.

7 In a spotlight, a ring housing having aligned openings at opposite sides thereof, a stem, a spotlight pivoted to said stem, a member mounted within said housing for substantially universal movement with respect thereto and connected to said stem through one of said openings whereby rotation of said member about certain axes will rotate said stem and spotlight, means projecting from said member and movable therewith only about one axis of said member, means for connecting said projecting means and spotlight whereby movement of said member about one axis will swing said spotlight about its pivot, and means projecting through the opening in the housing opposite said stem for moving said member universally.

8. A Wall receivable spotlight comprising, a housing adapted to be secured in a wall and having openings on opposite sides of the wall, a universally movable member within said housing, a stem secured to said member and projecting through one of said openings in said. housing to one side of the wall, a spotlight pivoted to said stem at a point spaced from said housing, a device secured within said housing and connected to said member for movement therewith about all but one of the axes of the member about which the member is moved, said member and device being relatively movable about said one axis with respect to said wall, means connecting said device and spotlight whereby movement of said member about the axis of relative movee ment of said member and said device will swing said spotlight about its pivot and movement of the member about another of its axes will rotate said spotlight and device together, and means for moving said member about aplurality of axes including the axes mentioned.

9. A spotlight of the class described comprising, a lamp, a pivot support for said lamp, a housing adapted to be secured to and through a wall, a universal mounting in said rigidly and non-rotatably secured to said,

mounting for moving said universal mounting universally.

10. In a spotlight, a housing having an opening at one side thereof, a member mounted for substantially universal movement in said housing, a stem connected to and projecting from said member and through the opening on one side of said housing and bifurcated at its end remote from said housing,

a spotlight trunnioned between the bifurcated portions of saidstem, means connected with said member for rotational movement with said member about the axis of said housing and secured against movement about an-axis perpendicular to the axis of said housing, means connecting said lamp and first said means whereby said lamp and first said means may be moved relatively and together, and manually operable means for moving said member. I

11. In a spotlight of the class described comprising, a bifurcated support, a lamp pivotally trunnioned between the bifurcated portions of said support, a housing adapted to be secured to and through a wall, a uni versal mounting in said housing and connected to said support, a device'connected to said universal mounting to move therewith upon certain movements thereof, said device and mounting being relatively movable upon certain other movements of the mounting, means connecting said device and lamp whereby movement of said mounting rela tively to said device will swing said lamp about its pivot, and means for moving said universal mounting universally.

12. A spotlight of the class described comprising, a lamp having an inner shell provi ding a reflector and an outer substantially concentric shell providing pivot connections, a support pivotally connected to said pivot connections, a housing adapted to be secured to and through a wall, auniversal mounting in said housing and connected to said support,

a device connected to said universal mounting to move therewith upon certain movements thereof, said device and mounting being relatively movable, upon certain other movements of the mounting. means connect- 18. A spotlight of the class described comprising, a lamp including a casing, asupport for said lamp pivotally connected to said casing, a housing adapted to be secured to and through a wall, a universal mounting in said housing and connected to said support, a device having outwardly directed gear teeth and connected to said universal mounting to move therewith upon certain movements thereof, said device and mounting being relatively movable upon certain other movements of the mounting, a gear on the rear of said casing and engaging said teeth on said device and connecting said device and lamp casing whereby movement of said mounting rela tively to said device will swing said lamp about its pivot, and a handle non-rotatably 1 connected to said mounting for moving said universal mounting universally.

14. As an article of manufacture, a lamp casing of generally parabolic cross section provided with a rack integral therewith on the convex side thereof. 7

1.5. In a windshield spotlight, a pair of cooperative glass clamping members, a portion of one of said members being adapted to yield toward the other in a plane substantially parallel the plane of the windshield, and means for urging said portion toward the said other member for securing said members together.

In witness of the foregoing I afiix my signature.

GEDOR W. ALDEEN. 

